A Speaking Matter
by Skelli W
Summary: Kairi one-shot. Kairi always managed to say the wrong thing. But after her brother ended up in the hospital after she mouthed off to him, she decides to try and take action. Her decision may effect her life forever.


**Hey! This is a Kairi one-shot. Hope you like it.**

Hi. My name is Kairi Ireane. You may have heard of me in the news or internet, you may know why. But one thing is for sure, you never heard it straight from me. There's too many misconceptions. Heh, the reason why I did what I did, you need to know the whole story.

I was one of those common, perfect babies. I slept, crapped, laughed, ate, cried, and woke my parents up at night. My hair's red, my eyes were blue, everything that came out of my mouth always made people boo.

So yeah, I spent a large amount of my life so far in silence. I didn't understand how you cooperate in society, so I sat there watching all the kids having fun. Well, that is until I met the twins Sora and Roxas, Riku, Xion, Hayner, Pence, and Olette when I was fourteen. They actually found a way around my mouth, but even after that, I was still quiet.

Xx

"I just don't know what I want." Axel, my older brother, was pestering me about a birthday present. My fifteenth birthday was the next day, and now he's asking.

"Come on, there's gotta be something you want." He insisted.

We pulled up in front of the school. I got out, "You know, maybe if you actually paid attention to important stuff like school, you wouldn't be such a failure and would actually be able to figure that out." I regreted it as soon as I said it. He looked so hurt. Him and failing was a touchy subject. He drove off before I could say anything else. _Great, just great. He's skipping again, thanks to me. Kairi the Wild-Tongue._

Riku came up next to me, "Tongue slip again?"

I sighed, "Yeah."

"Come on, we'd best meet up with the others."

Xx

Sora got his hands on a noise maker thing, and was going crazy with it. Lunch was the same as usual, loud. Olette was talking about some french fashion designer to Xion. I don't think she noticed earbuds in Xion's ears and the fact she was nodding along to the music, not listening at all. Roxas and Pence were working on the homework they got this morning. Riku and Hayner were shooting spitballs at each other.

My dad walked in, which caught all of our attention, well, except for Xion and Roxas, who always had earbuds in. Pence elbowed Roxas in the ribs, and shook Xion's shoulder, getting their attention.

"Hey, um, may I speak to Kairi alone?" he said.

"Uh, yeah sure, Mr. Ireane." They gathered their stuff and left, leaving me alone.

"What is so important that you had to tell me in the middle of the school cafeteria?"

His face got all somber, "Axel got in a bad crash this morning."

That took me by surprise. "He's not dead, is he?" My voice was shaking.

"No, but he is in critical condition. We should leave now to see how he's doing."

"Why should I care? It's not like he's going anywhere." My voice was steady now.

A mad look came across his face. "Kairi Alice Ireane, Axel is your brother and has always been there for you! Now you must be there for him."

I got up, "Fine, let's go, I'm sorry."

"Axel's the one you need to apologize to."

_This is all my fault._

Xx

_This is all your fault! It's all your fault Kairi!_ Those thoughts just wouldn't leave, they won't stop repeating. The car ride was torture and the hospital was worse.

"Yeah, a bad crash." Seeing Axel out cold and covered in bandages on the hospital bed is what did me in. I started crying. I held his hand, sat there, and sobbed for three hours, saying I'm sorry over and over again.

I felt something squeeze my hand. I looked up. "A-axel I-"

He interupted, "Hey, don't cry like that. I'm busted up, but I'll get better. I'll live." His voice was hoarse. He played a soft smile on his lips, his eyes reassuring.

I took a deep breath, "I'll make it up to you. Someday, somehow I will make this up to you. Sorry just ain't enough."

"Kai, I'm fine. You don't have to makeup anything."

"Yes, I do."

"Kai!" I left. I had to get out.

Xx

I told Sora and Roxas what happened in math the next day.

"How 'bout we go up to the hospital with you after school today." Sora offered.

"Yeah, the three of us could grab a bus." Roxas added.

"Thanks, that really means alot to me." I was glad they were here for me. I would've told the rest of the group, but believe it or not, they were all absent.

The bell rang. _Just an hour to go._

Xx

The twins decided to let me have a chance to talk to Axel alone. Stepping out of the elevator, an argument caught my attention. The thing about it that caught my attention?

A mom arguing with a doctor about trying to save her daughter's vocal chords, instead of removing them. _This is how I'll make it up to Axel._

Without thinking, I strolled over and said, "Hey, she can have my chords."

They stared at me, shocked. The girl looked the most surprised. She had blond hair and blue eyes, a scarf was wrapped around her neck.

"You do understand what that will do to you, right?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, I'll be mute for the rest of my life. Honestly, things'll be better that way."

"Well if that's what you want. Here," she handed me a pamphlet and waiver, "If you're going to do this we're going to need a parent signature. Mrs. Yerew, is this alright with you?"

I gave her one of those reassuring smiles. "Yes, my daughter won't be mute, and she wants to be. Let her be a donor."

"Thank you." I turned around to see Sora frozen with shock, and Roxas, earbuds in, trying to snap him out of it. I went over and took Roxas's earbuds, skipped to the loudest song on there, turned the volume all the way up, placed them in Sora's ears, and pressed play.

Sora screamed and jumped, making Roxas and I jump back. Sora ran off to Axel's room.

"What froze him up like that?" He asked me.

"He must've heard me talking to those people." Roxas gave me one of those 'what about' faces. "I volunteered to become a mute to put it in a sense."

"What?" he was stunned, but was quick to recover, "It's you're decision, and I respect that. You might as well see what Axel's reaction is and get it over with. No doubt Sora's told him already."

Roxas was right, Sora did tell him. When we walked in, Axel didn't look up. He just kept staring at his feet. "Hey." I said. No response. Roxas grabbed Sora's ear and dragged him out. The door closed.

"'Hey'? That's all you can say? Well I suppose so, since you won't be able to speak again." Axel said abruptly. His voice was cruel, but I guess I deserved that.

I bit my bottom lip. "Ax, I'm sorry, okay. But things will be better this way. I mean, it is my fault you're here."

"Why are you talking like that? It's because of me being a careless driver that I'm in here."

"I owe you this."

"Kai! You do NOT owe me anything! Got it memorized?"

"Bye." I spun on my heel and left. I could hear Axel shout my name as I left.

Xx

"Okay dad, just sign here." I said, placing my finger on the signature line.

"What do I have to sign this for?" he asked.

"I mouthed off to a teacher again."

He sighed and signed.

"Thanks dad." I took the paper up to my room and removed the fake slip hiding the surgery information. I sighed, "Sorry I'm doing this dad, but this is for the best." None of my other friends knew. Sora and Roxas were the only ones that knew, and Roxas made sure Sora didn't tell anyone else.

Xx

It was three days since I gave the doctor the permission slip, and today was surgery day. Sora hasn't talked to me since I handed in the slip. I'm glad that I atleast have Roxas's support. I learned that the girl's name was Namine, and that she had a rare disease that I can't pronounce, that the only way to cure it is to remove the infected voice.

"You ready for this?" Roxas asked as I stepped inside the surgery room. He stayed in the hallway.

"Yeah." The door closed. They gave me morphine and all that other stuff you get before surgery. I told Namine, "Use it well, and use it good," before I blacked out.

Xx

I got in trouble for tricking Dad into signing that paper. Sora won't even talk to me. Riku, Roxas, and the others were taking sign language classes with me. It felt nice to have support. Axel was mad at me, but he's making an effort to learn sign language. The nice thing about sign language was that it was harder for me to say something I didn't mean to say.

The media found out and started all over it, glad for something "heroic" instead of the dress of some celebrity or their romantic life. Axel even won't let me go outside without a disguise. The kids at school would never leave me alone. Honestly I didn't want all the fame, I just wanted to stop ruining peoples lives.

**Hope you liked it! Reviews are greatly encouraged!**


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